High resolution display

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for document content publishing, distribution, and display, including a method of doing business. An electronic display includes at least one reusable imaging stratum forming a pixel array of a bi-modal molecular colorant. Preferably, the molecules have bistable orientations. The imaging stratum having a viewing surface and a back surface. Adjacent said back surface is a background stratum. An addressing device is mounted for selectively switching colorant molecules of the imaging stratum between a transparent orientation and a color-exhibiting orientation. The present invention is adaptable to reflective light, back lit, and projection implementations.

(2) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] None.

(3) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] None.

(4) REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX

[0003] The present application includes a hard copy appendix comprisingpertinent specification pages and drawings of co-inventors' U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/844,862, by ZHANG et al. for MOLECULARMECHANICAL DEVICES WITH A BAND GAP CHANGE ACTIVATED BY AN ELECTRIC FIELDFOR OPTICAL SWITCHING APPLICATION (Hewlett-Packard Company, assignee) asrelates to subject matter claimed in accordance with the presentinvention.

(5) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] 1. Field of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates generally to electronic documentdistribution and more particularly to a reusable, high resolution,display providing visual characteristics comparable to hard copy print.

[0006] 2. Description of Related Art

[0007] There is growing interest in electronic document distribution inplace of hard copy. The advent of the Internet facilitates distributionthat provides virtually instantaneous access to document informationwhile avoiding the high cost of printing, binding, warehousing,distribution, and retail mark-up that is associated with commercialdocuments. (The term Internet is used herein as a generic term for acollection of distributed, interconnected networks (ARPANET, DARPANET,World Wide Web, or the like) that are linked together by a set ofindustry standard protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, HTTP, UDP, and the like) toform a generally global, distributed network. Private and proprietaryintranets are also known and are amenable to conforming uses of thepresent invention.) Further, the user quite often reads such hard copyonly once and then discards it or stores it for future reference.

[0008] However, currently working against the clear advantages ofelectronic document distribution, computer displayed documents are ofsignificantly poor quality relative to hard copy print and, at theleast, less comfortably read. Standard cathode ray tube (CRT) and matrixliquid crystal displays (LCD) operate at resolutions approximately anorder of magnitude lower than commercial print. As a result, thedocument image is usually magnified on display for better viewabilitybut allowing only a fraction of a standard document page to be viewed atone time. Small character and image detail such as serifs and thin linesare lost, while larger character and image details are aliased or madefuzzy by grey-scaling the original data. Moreover, CRT displays are notportable and require the user to read documents at essentially fixedfocal length and fixed body position for long periods of time, leadingto eye and body discomfort. Flat panel, matrix LCD devices are lighterweight and more portable for easier focal distance and bodyrepositioning, but are of poorer contrast and limited available viewingangle, leading to further reading discomfort and annoyance. Viewabilityof such displays also is affected by the ambient lighting in which theapparatus is being used; the higher the ambient light conditions, theworse the viewability of the displayed image or information.

[0009]FIG. 1AA (Prior Art) exemplifies the basic operation of a flatpanel electronic display, such as a commercially available, flat panel,LCD 1 (dashed lines are used in this drawing to indicate continuation ofdiscrete elements of the apparatus so as to make the drawing lesscomplicated). Basically, the LCD 1 includes a plurality of pictureelements (“pixels”) defining the resolution of the display, generallyformed by an array of thin film transistors (“TFT”) and too small to beseen in this FIGURE (e.g., 600 dots per inch (“dpi”)). A plurality ofgate lines 2 and data lines 3 form a pixel control grid for active area“B” of the panel 1. The gate lines 2 and data lines 3 extend as leads 5outside of the active area B for connection to known manner integratedcircuit drivers. A plurality of pads, one for each line, are formed inregion “C” about the periphery of the active area B as discrete padregions 4 are coupled by the leads 5 to the gate and data lines 2, 3.Color LCD is produced by backlighting the individually switched pixelscrystals through color filters. Note importantly that the resolution ofthe screen is limited by the technology related to interconnectwiring—namely, between the gate and data lines and the microprocessor ormemory sending data—and driver size for each pixel. Moreover, such adevice requires power to maintain each pixel in its current state andcontinually to backlight the crystal screen.

[0010] Electrostatically polarized, bichromal particles for displayshave been known since the early 1960's. There are at least two,well-published, electrochromic pixel coloring devices: (1) amicroencapsulated electrophoretic colorant (electronic ink), and (2) afield rotatable bichromal sphere (e.g., the Xerox™ Gyricon™).

[0011] Electronic ink is a recent development. E Ink Corporation(Cambridge, Mass.; www.eink.com) provides an electronic ink in a liquidform that can be coated onto a surface. Within the coating are tinymicrocapsules (e.g., about 30 μm to 100 μm in diameter, viz. about asthick as a human hair, thus quite visible to the naked eye). Asillustrated in FIG. 1BB (Prior Art), each microcapsule 6 has whiteparticles 7 suspended in a dark dye 8. When an electric field is appliedand sustained in a first polarity, the white particles move to one endof the microcapsule where they become visible; this makes the surfaceappear white at that spot. A carrier 9 is provided. An opposite polarityelectric field pulls the particles to the other end of the microcapsuleswhere they are substantially hidden by the dye; this makes the surfaceappear dark at that spot.

[0012] The Xerox Gyricon sphere is described in certain patents. FIG.1CC (Prior Art) is a schematic illustration of the sphere. U.S. Pat. No.4,126,854 (Sheridon '854) describes a bichromal sphere having coloredhemispheres of differing Zeta potential that allow the spheres to rotatein a dielectric fluid under influence of an addressable electricalfield. U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,103 (Sheridon '103) describes a displaysystem using bichromal spheres in a transparent polymeric material. U.S.Pat. No. 5,604,027 (Sheridon '027), issued Feb. 18, 1997, for SOME USESOF MICROENCAPSULATION FOR ELECTRIC PAPER, describes a printer.Essentially, each sphere 10 (again, about 30 μm in diameter) has abichromal ball 13 having two hemispheres 11, 12, typically one black andone white, each having different electrical properties. Each ball isenclosed within a spherical shell 14 and a space 15 between the ball andshell is filled with a liquid to form a microsphere so that the ball isfree to rotate in response to an electrical field. The microspheres canbe mixed into a substrate which can be formed into sheets or can beapplied to a surface. The result is a film which can form an image froman applied and sustained electrical field. Currently picture element(“pixel”) resolution using this Gyricon spheres is limited to about 100dpi.

[0013] Thus, in the known prior art, each individual colorant device isroughly hemispherically bichromal; one hemisphere is made the displaybackground color (e.g. white) while the second hemisphere is made theprint or image color (e.g. black or dark blue). In accordance with thetext and image data, these microsphere-based devices are fieldtranslated or rotated so the desired hemisphere color faces the observerat each respective pixel. It can be noted that, in commercial practice,displays made from these colorants have relatively poor contrast andcolor. The layer containing the microcapsules is generally at least 3 or4 microcapsules thick. Light that penetrates beyond the layer surfaceinternally reflects off the backside hemispheres causing color (e.g.black and white) intermixing. This is caused by incomplete absorption orreflection of light by the surface of the microspheres and by lightpenetrating to sub-layers via the interstitial spaces betweenmicrospheres in each layer. The image is, for example, thus rendereddark gray against a light gray background. Thus, these technologies donot provide a promising extendability and scalability to high resolutioncolor displays because the devices switch only between two opaquecolors, disallowing passage of light from different layers for a givenpixel. Still further, as is these technologies produce a visually poordisplay resolution relative to hard copy print due to the relativelylarge size of the microcapsule spheres. Moreover, the spheres arebichromal, limiting application to two-color rather than true full colordisplay. Further still, the need for overlapping spheres in multiplelayers to achieve adequate color density limits pixel resolution. Yetanother limitation is that these technologies suffer from poor pixelswitching times in comparison to standard CRT and LCD technology. Eachtechnology relies on the electrophoretic movement of a mass in adielectric material, such as isoparafin. The color rotation speed ofdichroic spheres under practical electrical field intensities is in therange of 20 milliseconds (ms) or more. These relatively large spheresrequire high switching voltages (e.g. 80-200 volts) to obtain adequatefields through the consequently thick (>100 μm) carrier-colorant layer.Such switching voltages add high cost to the pixel drive electronics,similar to that of the high-end matrix LCD apparatus. Thus, thoseinvolved in the development of microcapsule type colorants arestruggling with the contrast, resolution, and speed rather than focusingon a new molecular level technology as described in accordance with thepresent invention.

[0014] There is a need for a method and apparatus which will overcomethe problems and shortcomings of the state of the art and provide acost-efficient, erasable and reusable, high contrast, high resolutiondisplays, methods of displaying documents, and methods of doing businessrelated thereto.

(6) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] In its basic aspect, the present invention provides anelectronically addressable display including: a substrate; associatedwith the substrate, an addressable display bi-modal molecular colorantstratum; and associated with the molecular colorant stratum, anaddressing device mounted for selectively switching colorant moleculesof the stratum between at least two visually distinguishable states.

[0016] In another aspect, the present invention provides an electronicappliance including: an appliance housing; and incorporated with thehousing, a display device, the display device including at least onewriteable imaging stratum forming a pixel array of a bi-modal molecularcolorant, and an addressing device mounted for selectively switchingcolorant molecules of the imaging stratum.

[0017] In still another aspect, the present invention provides a visualdisplay including: at least one writeable imaging stratum forming apixel array of a bi-modal molecular colorant; and at least oneaddressing device mounted for selectively switching colorant moleculesof the imaging stratum.

[0018] In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method offabricating a rewritable display screen, the method including:depositing a substantially homogeneous layer of bi-modal molecularcolorant on a surface; and providing addressable elements adjacent saidsurface for matrix addressing said surface as addressable pictureelements.

[0019] In another aspect, the present invention provides a method ofdocument retrieval using an internet, the method including: from atelecommunications appliance, ordering the document over the internet;downloading the document from the internet into the telecommunicationsappliance; and displaying the document on a display associated with thetelecommunications appliance by forming an image of the document on apixel array of a rewritable bi-modal molecular colorant.

[0020] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of doingbusiness with respect to document publishing and retrieval, the methodincluding: providing a wireless communications site including a serverfor publishing document content; and downloading from said site to awireless telecommunications appliance document content data forread-only display by forming a selectable page-by-page pixel array on abi-modal molecular colorant display associated with said appliance.

[0021] In another aspect, the present invention provides a wirelesscommunications appliance, including: a wireless interface; a displayscreen having at least one writeable imaging stratum forming a pixelarray of a bi-modal molecular colorant; and at least one addressingdevice mounted for selectively switching colorant molecules of theimaging stratum.

[0022] In another aspect, the present invention provides a projectionapparatus including: a display means for projecting an image, saiddisplay means having a transparent substrate and, associated with saidsubstrate, at least one writeable imaging stratum forming a pixel arrayof a bi-modal molecular system; and associated with said imagingstratum, at least one addressing means for selectively switchingcolorant molecules of the imaging stratum forming an image forprojection.

[0023] In still another aspect, the present invention provides anelectronically addressable display including: a translucent substratehaving a means for backlighting said substrate associated therewith;associated with the substrate, an addressable display bi-modal molecularcolorant system; and associated with the molecular colorant system, anaddressing means mounted for selectively switching colorant molecules ofthe system between at least two visually distinguishable states whereinone of said states produces a color of high contrast with respect tosaid translucent substrate and another one of said states istransparent.

[0024] The foregoing summary is not intended to be an inclusive list ofall the aspects, objects, advantages, and features of the presentinvention nor should any limitation on the scope of the invention beimplied therefrom. This Summary is provided in accordance with themandate of 37 C.F.R. 1.73 and M.P.E.P. 608.01(d) merely to apprise thepublic, and more especially those interested in the particular art towhich the invention relates, of the nature of the invention in order tobe of assistance in aiding ready understanding of the patent in futuresearches. Other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent upon consideration of the followingexplanation and the accompanying drawings, in which like referencedesignations represent like features throughout the drawings.

(7) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] In accordance with 37 C.F.R. 1.84(u), in order to preventconfusion with drawings of the Appendix hereto, the drawings of thisapplication use double capital letter suffices.

[0026]FIG. 1AA (Prior Art) is an exemplary LCD display.

[0027]FIG. 1BB (Prior Art) is an exemplary device incorporatingelectronic ink.

[0028]FIG. 1CC (Prior Art) is a schematic depiction of a Xerox Gyriconsphere.

[0029]FIG. 2AA is a schematic depiction (elevation view) of a firstexemplary embodiment of flat panel type display in accordance with thepresent invention.

[0030]FIG. 3AA is a schematic depiction (elevation view) of a secondexemplary embodiment of flat panel type display in accordance with thepresent invention.

[0031]FIG. 4AA is a schematic depiction (perspective, transparent view)of a two-color (e.g. black and white) display screen construction foruse in accordance with the present invention as shown in FIGS. 2AA and3AA.

[0032]FIG. 4BB is a detail for a colorant layer element of the presentinvention as shown in FIG. 4AA.

[0033]FIG. 5AA is a schematic depiction (perspective, transparent view)of a full-color display screen construction embodiment in accordancewith the present invention as shown in FIGS. 2AA and 3AA.

[0034]FIG. 6AA is a schematic depiction of a scan addressing embodimentof a two-color display screen construction for use in accordance withthe present invention as shown in FIGS. 2AA and 3AA.

[0035]FIG. 7AA is a block diagram illustration for a method andapparatus for doing business over the internet in accordance with thepresent invention.

[0036]FIG. 8AA is an illustration of an exemplary telecommunicationsappliance in the nature of a wireless-transceiver-ready personal digitalassistant (“PDA”) incorporating the present invention as depicted inFIGS. 4AA-4BB, or 5AA or 6AA.

[0037]FIG. 9AA is an illustration of an exemplary consumer appliance inthe nature of a digital camera incorporating the present invention asdepicted in FIGS. 4AA-4BB, or 5AA or 6AA.

[0038]FIG. 10AA is an illustration of an exemplary implementation of thepresent invention as depicted in FIGS. 4AA-4BB, or 5AA or 6AA,illustrating a retractable screen in a pen-sized device.

[0039]FIG. 11AA is an illustration of a telecommunications appliance inthe nature of a wireless-transceiver-ready telephone incorporating thepresent invention as depicted in FIGS. 4AA-4BB, or 5AA or 6AA.

[0040] The drawings referred to in this specification should beunderstood as not being drawn to scale except if specifically annotated.

(8) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] Reference is made now in detail to a specific embodiment of thepresent invention which illustrates the best mode presently contemplatedby the inventors for practicing the invention. Alternative embodimentsare also briefly described as applicable.

DEFINITIONS

[0042] The following terms and ideas are applicable to both the presentdiscussion and the Appendix hereto.

[0043] The term “self-assembled” as used herein refers to a system thatnaturally adopts some geometric pattern because of the identity of thecomponents of the system; the system achieves at least a local minimumin its energy by adopting this configuration.

[0044] The term “singly configurable” means that a switch can change itsstate only once via an irreversible process such as an oxidation orreduction reaction; such a switch can be the basis of a programmableread-only memory (PROM), for example.

[0045] The term “reconfigurable” means that a switch can change itsstate multiple times via a reversible process such as an oxidation orreduction; in other words, the switch can be opened and closed multipletimes, such as the memory bits in a random access memory (RAM) or acolor pixel in a display.

[0046] The term “bistable” as applied to a molecule means a moleculehaving two relatively low energy states (local minima) separated by anenergy (or activation) barrier. The molecule may be either irreversiblyswitched from one state to the other (singly configurable) or reversiblyswitched from one state to the other (reconfigurable). The term“multi-stable” refers to a molecule with more than two such low energystates, or local minima.

[0047] The term “bi-modal” for colorant molecules in accordance with thepresent invention may be designed to include the case of no or lowactivation barrier for fast but volatile switching. In this lattersituation, bistability is not required, and the molecule is switchedinto one state by the electric field and relaxes back into its originalstate upon removal of the field; such molecules are referred to as“bi-modal”. In effect, these forms of the bi-modal colorant moleculesare “self-erasing”. In contrast, in bistable colorant molecules thecolorant molecule remains latched in its state upon removal of the field(non-volatile switch), and the presence of the activation barrier inthat case requires application of an opposite field to switch themolecule back to its previous state. Also, “molecular colorant” as usedhereinafter as one term to describe aspects of the present invention isto be distinguished from other chemical formulations, such as dyes,which act on a molecular level; in other words, “molecular colorant”used hereinafter signifies that the colorant molecules as described inthe Appendix and their equivalents are employed in accordance with thepresent invention.

[0048] Micron-scale dimensions refers to dimensions that range from 1micrometer to a few micrometers in size.

[0049] Sub-micron scale dimensions refers to dimensions that range from1 micrometer down to 0.05 micrometers.

[0050] Nanometer scale dimensions refers to dimensions that range from0.1 nanometers to 50 nanometers (0.05 micrometers).

[0051] Micron-scale and submicron-scale wires refers to rod orribbon-shaped conductors or semiconductors with widths or diametershaving the dimensions of 0.05 to 10 micrometers, heights that can rangefrom a few tens of nanometers to a micrometer, and lengths of severalmicrometers and longer.

[0052] “HOMO” is the common chemical acronym for “highest occupiedmolecular orbital”, while “LUMO” is the common chemical acronym for“lowest unoccupied molecular orbital”. HOMOs and LUMOs are responsiblefor electronic conduction in molecules and the energy difference betweenthe HOMO and LUMO and other energetically nearby molecular orbitals isresponsible for the color of the molecule.

[0053] An “optical switch,” in the context of the present invention,involves changes in the electromagnetic properties of the molecules,both within and outside that detectable by the human eye, e.g., rangingfrom the far infra-red (IR) to deep ultraviolet (UV). Optical switchingincludes changes in properties such as absorption, reflection,refraction, diffraction, and diffuse scattering of electromagneticradiation.

[0054] The term “transparency” is defined within the visible spectrum tomean that optically, light passing through the colorant is not impededor altered except in the region in which the colorant spectrallyabsorbs. For example, if the molecular colorant does not absorb in thevisible spectrum, then the colorant will appear to have water cleartransparency.

[0055] The term “omni-ambient illumination viewability” is definedherein as the viewability under any ambient illumination condition towhich the eye is responsive.

[0056] As a general proposition, “media” in the context of the presentinvention includes any surface, whether portable or fixed, that containsor is layered with a molecular colorant or a coating containingmolecular colorant in accordance with the present invention wherein“bistable” molecules are employed; for example, both a flexible sheetexhibiting all the characteristics of a piece of paper and a writablesurface of an appliance (be it a refrigerator door or a computingappliance using the molecular colorant). “Display” (or “screen”) in thecontext of the present invention includes any apparatus that employs“bi-modal” molecules, but not necessarily bistable molecules. Because ofthe blurred line regarding where media type devices ends and displaymechanisms begin, no limitation on the scope of the invention isintended nor should be implied from a designation of any particularembodiment as a “media” or as a “display.”

[0057] As will become apparent from reading the Detailed Description andAppendix, “molecule” can be interpreted in accordance with the presentinvention to mean a solitary molecular device, e.g., an optical switch,or, depending on the context, may be a vast array of molecular-leveldevices, e.g., an array of individually addressable, pixel-sized,optical switches, which are in fact linked covalently as a singlemolecule in a self-assembling implementation. Thus, it can be recognizedthat some molecular systems comprise a super-molecule where selectivedomain changes of individual molecular devices forming the system areavailable. The term “molecular system” as used herein refers to bothsolitary molecular devices used systematically, such as in a regulararray pixel pattern, and molecularly linked individual devices. Nolimitation on the scope of the invention is intended by interchangeablyusing these terms nor should any be implied.

General Exemplary Devices

[0058] FIGS. 2AA and 3AA depict exemplary embodiments of display devices200, 300 in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2AA represents ahandheld, landscape format, implementation which can be connected (wiredor wireless, e.g. infrared or radiowave) to computer ortelecommunications apparatus (not shown), including internet capableapparatus, for downloading data onto the display 200. {“Internet” isused herein as a generic term for a collection of distributed,interconnected networks (ARPANET, DARPANET, World Wide Web, or the like)that are linked together by a set of industry standard protocols and thelike) to form a global (or sub-global) distributed network.} FIG. 3AArepresents a handheld, portrait format, implementation of the displaydevice 300 that similarly to the display device 200 of FIG. 2AA could beconnected to computer or telecommunications apparatus. Either mayoptionally incorporate a self-reliant CDROM drive subunit 301 (asillustrated), PCMCIA flash memory subunit (not shown), or the like. Ineither embodiment, it is intended, as shown, that the display 200, 300be to some extent portable. Specific implementations are to be providedwith associated circuitry to download, store, sequence, and displayimages as would be known in the art.

[0059] Turning to FIGS. 4AA and 4BB, in accordance with the presentinvention, each display device 200, 300 of FIGS. 2AA and 3AA has adisplay screen 400 that incorporates at least one colorant layer 401,comprising a molecular colorant in accordance with the presentinvention. The screen 400 includes a substrate 403 and at least onecolorant layer 401. Note that the display screen 400 substrate willlikely have a thickness measured in millimeters whereas the colorantlayer will have a thickness measured in microns; therefore no attempt ismade herein to provide an accurate scaling to these FIGURES nor FIGS.5AA and 6AA.

[0060] The colorant layer 401 is an addressable pixel array that employselectrical field switchable, reconfigurable, bi-modal molecules asdescribed in detail in the Appendix hereto; generically referred tohereinafter as the “colorant molecule” and wherein the addressablecolorant layer 401 is referred to as the “molecular colorant.” Eachreconfigurable, bi-modal colorant molecule is field switchable betweenan image color state (e.g. black) and transparent state, or between twodifferent color states (e.g., a red state and a green state). Becausethe present display pixels are activated at a molecular level, thepresent display 400 is capable of at least the same contrast andresolution as hard copy print. A molecular colorant is ideal because itscomponent molecules' size and mass are relatively infinitesimally small,allowing resolution and colorant switching times that are limited onlyby the capabilities of related field writing electrodes and circuitry.Like traditional liquid ink, the colorant layer 401 may develop adequatecolor density in a 1-to-2 micron thin layer, potentially lowering thefield voltage required to switch the colorant between logic states andthus allowing the use of inexpensive drive circuitry.

[0061] It is expressly contemplated that both projection screen displaysand back-lit or non-back-lit screen displays can be implemented inaccordance with the present invention. The substrate 403 forming thebackground of the molecular colorant will generally be opaque such thatthe transparent or black states show accordingly at a very high contrastand resolution. However, it will be recognized that by substituting atransparent or translucent substrate, both back-lit and non back-littype screens can be implemented.

Molecular Colorant/Colorant Molecules

[0062] A brief summary here of these novel colorant molecules willfacilitate understanding of the present invention. More specific detailis provided in the afore-mentioned Appendix. The bi-modal colorantmolecules employed in accordance with the present invention are activeoptical devices that can be switched using an external electric field.The use of multi-modal colorant molecules (i.e., tri-stable et seq.) arealso envisioned in accordance with the present invention. Preferably,the colorant molecules are bistable.

[0063] Molecules evidencing one of several new types of switching areprovided for the colorant layer 101. That is to say, the presentinvention introduces several new types of switching mechanisms thatdistinguish it from the prior art:

[0064] (1) an electric field (“E-field”) induced rotation of at leastone rotatable section (rotor) of a molecule to change the band gap ofthe molecule;

[0065] (2) E-field induced charge separation or recombination of themolecule via chemical bonding change to change the band gap; and

[0066] (3) E-field induced band gap change via molecular folding orstretching. Thus, the color switching is the result of an E-fieldinduced intramolecular change rather than a diffusion oroxidation/reduction reaction, in contrast to prior art approaches. Also,the part of the molecule that moves is quite small, so the switchingtime is expected to be quite fast. Also, the molecules are much simplerand thus easier and cheaper to make than the rotaxanes, catenanes, andrelated compounds.

[0067] The following are examples of model molecules with a descriptionof their function, with supporting examples, provided in the Appendixhereto:

[0068] (1) E-field induced band gap change via molecular conformationchange (rotor/stator type of model)—Appendix FIGS. 4 and 5a-5c;

[0069] (2a) E-field-induced band gap change caused by the change ofextended conjugation via charge separation or recombination accompaniedby increasing or decreasing band localization—Appendix FIG. 6a;

[0070] (2b) E-field-induced band gap change caused by change of extendedconjugation via charge separation or recombination and n-bond breakingor formation—Appendix FIG. 6b; and

[0071] (3) E-field-induced band gap change via molecule folding orstretching—Appendix FIG. 7.

[0072] As one exemplary embodiment, to provide some generalunderstanding of the colorant molecules, consider a device employing thetype (1) colorant molecule listed above. The general idea is to designinto the colorant molecules an electrically rotatable segment (“rotor”)that has a large dipole moment and that links other portions of thecolorant molecule that are immobilized (“stators”). Under the influenceof an applied electric field, the vector dipole moment of the rotor willattempt to align parallel to the direction of the external field.However, the preferable colorant molecule is designed such that thereare inter- and/or intra-molecular forces that stabilize the rotor inparticular orientations with respect to the stators. Thus, a relativelylarge electric field is required to cause the rotor to unlatch from itsinitial orientation and rotate with respect to the stators. Onceswitched into a particular orientation, the bistable colorant moleculewill remain in that orientation until it is switched out, or“reconfigured”. However, a key component of the colorant molecule designis that there is a steric repulsion that will prevent the rotor fromrotating through a complete 180-degree half cycle. Instead, the rotationis halted by the steric interaction of bulky groups on the rotor andstators at an optically significant angle of typically between 10° and170° from the initial orientation. Furthermore, this switchingorientation may be stabilized by a different set of inter- and/orintra-molecular hydrogen bonds or dipole interactions, and is thuslatched in place even after the applied field is turned off. For thepreferable colorant molecules, this ability to latch the rotor betweentwo states separated by an-optically significant rotation from thestators is important; this obviates the need for a holding field oncethe current “page” is displayed. Again, note that the foregoing strategymay be generalized to design colorant molecules to provide severalswitching steps so as to allow multiple states (more than two) toproduce a multi-state (e.g., multi-color) system. Such a system permitsthe optical properties of the molecular system to be tuned continuouslywith a decreasing or increasing electric field or changed abruptly fromone state to another by applying a pulsed field. Other methods andapparatus for full color display are described in more detailhereinbelow.

[0073] Further, the colorant molecules may be designed to include thecase of no or low activation barrier for fast but volatile switching. Inthis latter situation, bi-stability is not required, and the colorantmolecule is switched into one state by the electric field and relaxesback into its original state upon removal of the field. In effect, theseforms of the bi-modal colorant molecules are “self-erasing.” Incontrast, with bistable colorant molecules, the colorant moleculeremains latched in its state upon removal of the field (non-volatileswitch), and the presence of the activation barrier in that caserequires application of an opposite field to switch the colorantmolecule back to its previous state. When the rotor and stators are allco-planar, the colorant molecule is referred to as “more-conjugated.”Thus, the non-bonding electrons, or π-electrons, or π-electrons andnon-bonding electrons of the colorant molecule, through its highestoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecularorbital (LUMO) are substantially de-localized over the entire colorantmolecule. This is referred to as a “red-shifted state” for the colorantmolecule (referring to molecular state, not actual color or hue), or“optical state I.” In the case where the rotor is rotated out ofconjugation by approximately 90° with respect to the plane of thestators, the extended conjugation of the colorant molecule is broken andthe HOMO and LUMO are no longer de-localized over the entire colorantmolecule, referred to as “less-conjugated. This is a “blue-shiftedstate” of the colorant molecule, or “optical state II.” Thus, thecolorant molecule is reversibly switchable between two different opticalstates.

[0074] Referring briefly to FIG. 4BB, the colorant layer 401 comprisesthese bi-modal colorant molecules arrayed such that a selected set ofmolecules correlates to one pixel 402 (note, in practice the pixels arecontiguous). The colorant layer 401 is a thin layer coated on abackground substrate 403 layer having the display's intended backgroundcolor (e.g. white). The substrate may comprise, for example, a highdielectric pigment (e.g. titania) in a polymer binder that provides goodwhite color and opacity while also minimizing the voltage drop acrossthe layer. The stratified combination of colorant layer 401 andsubstrate 403 thus is fully analogous to a layer of ink on paper. In ablank mode, or erased state, each molecule is switched to itstransparent orientation; the “layer of ink” is invisible. The background(i.e., white pixels) shows through in those pixel areas where thecolorant layer 401 molecules are switched to the transparentorientation. A transparent view-through 405 layer, such as of a clearplastic or glass, is provided superjacent to the colorant-backgroundsandwich to provide appropriate protection. The view-through 405 layerhas a transparent electrode array 407 for pixel column or row activationmounted thereto and positioned superjacently to the colorant layer 401.The background substrate 403 layer has a complementary electrode array409 for pixel row or column activation mounted thereto (it will berecognized by those skilled in the art that a specific implementation ofthe stratification of the electrode arrays 407, 409 for matrixaddressing and field writing of the individual pixels may vary inaccordance with standard electrical engineering practices). Optionally,the pixels are switched by employing thin film transistor (TFT) drivertechnology as would be known in the art.

[0075] Thus, in summary, for use as a display device 200, 300 (in screen400), suitable reconfigurable colorant molecules have optical properties(e.g., color) determined by the extent of their conjugation. The opticalproperties, including color or transparency, of the colorant moleculechange with field polarity applied across the colorant molecules formingeach pixel and preferably remains chromatically stable in the absence ofa field. By disrupting the continuity of conjugation across a molecule,the molecule may be changed from one optical state to another, e.g.,colored to transparent or from one color to another. Electric dipolesmay be designed into the colorant and can physically cause thisdisruption by rotating or otherwise distorting certain segments of themolecule relative to other segments when the external electric field isapplied or changed.

[0076] For the present invention, the colorant layer 401 is asubstantially homogenous coating having the colorant molecules which arepreferably colored (e.g. black, cyan, magenta or yellow) in amore-conjugated orientation and transparent in a less-conjugatedorientation. By making the abutting background substrate 403 white, thecolorant layer 401 may thereby produce high contrast black and white,and colored images. The colorant layer 401 may comprise a single fieldswitchable dye or pigment or mixture of different switchable dyes thatcollectively produce a composite color (e.g. black). By using molecularcolorant, the resolution of the produced image is limited only by theelectric field resolution produced by the electrode array 407, 409. Themolecular colorant additionally has virtually instantaneous switchingspeed, beneficial to the needs of fast scanning (as described withrespect to FIG. 6AA hereinafter). The molecular colorant may becontained in a polymeric layer. Polymers for producing such coatings arewell known (e.g. acrylates, polyurethane, UV curable resins).Alternatively, there may be a thin film deposited or self-assembled.

Specific Device Embodiments

[0077] In a first implementation embodiment as demonstrated in FIGS. 2AAand 3AA, the colorant layer 401 (FIG. 4AA) is offered as a substitutefor matrix addressed liquid crystal flat panel displays. As is known inthe art, each pixel is addressed through rows and columns offixed-position electrode arrays 407, 409. The fixed position electrodearrays 407, 409 consist of standard crossbar electrodes 411, 413 thatsandwich the colorant layer 401 to form an overlapping grid (matrix) ofpixels, each pixel addressed at the point of electrode overlap. Thecrossbar electrodes 411, 413 comprise parallel, spaced, electrode linesarranged in electrode rows and columns, where the row and columnelectrodes are separated on opposing sides of the colorant layer 401.Preferably, a first set of transparent crossbar electrodes 411 (or seealso the arrays 501, 503 in FIG. 5AA described in detail hereinafter) isformed by thin film deposition of indium tin oxide (ITO) on atransparent substrate (e.g. glass). These row addressable pixel crossbarelectrodes 411 are formed in the ITO layer using standard thin filmpatterning and etching techniques. The colorant layer 401 and backgroundsubstrate 403 layer are sequentially coated over or mounted to thetransparent electrode array 407 layer, using standard thin filmtechniques (e.g., vapor deposition and the like) or thick filmtechniques (e.g. silkscreen, spin cast, or the like). Additional coatingtechniques include Langmuir-Blodgett deposition and self-assemblemonolayers. Column addressable pixel crossbar electrodes 413 (or seealso the arrays 502, 504 in FIG. 5AA) are preferably constructed in likemanner to the row electrodes 411. In general, the colorant layers andelectrode layers can be stacked according to the needs of a specificimplementation. To improve resolution even further, it is possible tocombine the present invention with molecular wire technology such astaught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,214 (Kuekes et al.) and its RelatedApplications (each assigned to the common assignee herein andincorporated herein by reference) whereby pixel size-addressabilityceases to be a limitation.

[0078] The display devices in accordance with the present inventionprovide print-on-paper-like contrast, color, viewing angle, andomni-ambient illumination viewability by elimination of the polarizationlayers required for known liquid crystal colorants. The presentinvention also allows a significant reduction in power drain. Whereasliquid crystals require a holding field even for a static image, thepresent colorant layer 401 molecules can be in a selected pixel-by-pixelmodal state in the absence of a field when bistable molecules are used.Thus, the present colorant layer 401 when using bistable colorantmolecules only requires a field when a pixel is changed, and then onlyfor that pixel. The power and image quality improvements will providesignificant benefit in battery life and display readability, under awider range of viewing and illumination conditions for appliances (e.g.wristwatches, calculators, cell phones, or other remote electronicapplications) and computer and camera displays, television screens,projection screens, and the like.

[0079] Furthermore, the colorant layer may comprise a mosaic of coloredpixels using an array of bi-modal color molecules of various colors,viz., each mosaic pixel comprising bi-modal molecular switch withdiffering chromophores. In other words, each pixel is in fact asuper-pixel comprising individual subpixels composed of differentbi-modal color molecules. In turn, each subpixel contains millions ofthe predetermined molecules for the selected transparent-colorcharacteristic of the subpixel. In a simple example, a pixel can havefour separately addressable subpixels in a color-next-to-color mosaic:the three subtractive primary colors, i.e., one cyan subpixel, onemagenta subpixel, one yellow subpixel, and one black subpixel, whereineach molecule also has a transparent mode or state. The black or one ormore of the three colors are addressed in writing to a target pixel in amanner analogous to commercial color displays in the current state ofthe art, e.g., a LCD, CRT, and the like. Basically, as human perceptionis substantially less discriminating (e.g., inability to distinguishover 1000 dpi or less) than current technology for depositing subpixels(e.g., using an adapted 1200 dpi, or greater, dpi inkjet pen fordepositing pixels and subpixels of the colorant layer 401 in a mosaic onthe substrate 403), the mosaic color-next-to-color mosaic methodologypresents a visually seamless imaging capability.

[0080] Since each colorant molecule is transparent outside of thecolorant absorption band, viz., the transparent state, multiple colorantlayers may be superimposed in a color-on/over-color embodiment(analogous to depositing droplets of wet ink by an ink-jet pen in adot-on-dot manner, e.g., laying a predetermined yellow droplet over apredetermined cyan droplet to form the desired hue at the target pixel),where each layer is separately addressed to produce higher resolutioncolor displays than currently available.

[0081] So far, the description of the present invention has assumed thatthe background substrate 403 is fabricated of an opaque, reflectivematerial, e.g., a white plastic, and that the viewing of such a displaydevice 200, 300 (FIG. 2AA, 3AA) is dependent upon reflected light.However, it is important to note that a substantive and substantialadvantage of the present invention is that the same mechanism is alsouseful for implementations in a backlit configuration or a projectionconfiguration.

[0082] Assume that the background substrate 403 of the viewing screen400 is a translucent material. The material should be of a color, e.g.,a translucent white or yellow polymer film, that is substantiallyreflective in an average ambient lighting situation but substantiallytransmissive of light when configured in a backlit configuration. Suchan implementation may be important for a notebook computer or PDA whereuse in a variety of ambient lighting conditions is inevitable. In a darkambient setting, a back-lighting beam, generally implemented in a knownmanner, whereby pixels wherein the colorant molecules are in atransparent state permit the light to pass through the colorant layer(s)401 while the pixels having their colorant molecules in the black stateblock light from passing through. Other than to turn on theback-lighting beam mechanism, no special manipulation of the screenstate or the data used to create an image or text is required whenmoving from a suitable reflective light condition to a dark ambientcondition. Since the lighting is not used under sufficient reflectiveambient lighting, battery life is extended in portable appliancesemploying the present invention. Moreover, as discussed below, with fullcolor implementations, the present invention may be implemented as avideo screen having equivalent resolution to commercial high definitiontelevision (HDTV).

[0083] Assume next that the background substrate 403 of the viewingscreen 400 is a transparent material, e.g., glass, plastic film, or thelike. Now the display device viewing screen is fully adapted for acombination with appropriate lenses as would be known in the art to fora projection apparatus. An exemplary embodiment is a fully automatedoverhead projector wherein the glass bed normally used for laying out aslide instead incorporates the molecular colorant in accordance with thepresent invention and a mechanism, e.g., software, for transferringcomputer generated slides directly to the projector glass bed.

[0084] Note that this is a major advancement to the state of the art fordisplays whereby one technology is adapted to all three forms ofviewability, via reflective, backlit, and projection modes, without anyfundamental changes being required of the core aspect, the nature of thecolorant. Note also that through the use of a plurality of differentcolorant molecules or appropriate primary color pixel matriximplementation, full color embodiments can be provided. One suchembodiment is now described with respect to FIG. 5AA.

[0085]FIG. 5AA is a schematic illustration of a second implementationembodiment. A high resolution, full color, matrix addressable, displayscreen 500 comprises alternating layers of transparent electrodes—rowelectrode arrays 501, 503 and column electrode arrays 502, 504—and aplurality of colorant layers 505, 507, 509, each having a differentcolor bi-modal molecule construction. Since each pixel in each colorantlayer may be colored or transparent, the color of a given pixel may bemade from any one or a combination of the color layers (e.g. cyan,magenta, yellow, black) at the full address resolution of the display.When all colorant layers 505, 507, 509 for a pixel are made transparent,the pixel shows the background substrate 403 layer (e.g. white). Such adisplay offers the benefit of three or more times resolution over aconventional CRT and present matrix LCD devices that rely on singlelayer mosaic color.

[0086] It can now be recognized that a color display screen 400, 500using fixed position electrode arrays may be made through either asingle layer color mosaic (FIGS. 4AA, 4BB) or stratified, multi-colorcolorant layers and electrodes (FIG. 5AA). Color mosaic fabricationprocesses are well known and commonly used in the flat panel displayindustry; commercial manufacturers such as Brewer Scientific, TopanPrinting, Dai-Nippon Printing provide such processes. As mentioned,ink-jet deposition may be employed. {The art of ink-jet technology isrelatively well developed. Commercial products such as computerprinters, graphics plotters, copiers, and facsimile machines employink-jet technology for producing hard copy. The basics of thistechnology are disclosed, for example, in various articles in theHewlett-Packard Journal, Vol. 36, No. 5 (May 1985), Vol. 39, No. 4(August 1988), Vol. 39, No. 5 (October 1988), Vol. 43, No. 4 (August1992), Vol. 43, No. 6 (December 1992) and Vol. 45, No. 1 (February 1994)editions. Ink-jet devices are also described by W. J. Lloyd and H. T.Taub in Output Hardcopy (sic) Devices, chapter 13 (Ed. R. C. Durbeck andS. Sherr, Academic Press, San Diego, 1988).} Each colorant 401, 505,507, 509 layer composition (e.g. dye and polymer) can be formulatedsimilarly to a standard inkjet ink. Present day ink-jet print heads arefully capable of printing pixel dots at 1200 dpi resolution and better.Details regarding methods and apparatus for forming a colorant layer arealso described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/919394, filed Jul.31, 2001, by common inventors Vincent et al. for a FIELD ADDRESSABLEREWRITABLE MEDIA. However, further detail other than provided herein isnot strictly necessary for understanding the present invention. Typicalmosaic patterns comprise a regularly repeated pattern of three or fourcolors (e.g. cyan, magenta and yellow) in a two dimensional array ofpixels that align with the crossbar electrode row and columnintersections.

[0087] The multi-color multi-layer colorant display screen 500 isconstructed from alternating electrode array layers 501-504 and colorant505, 507, 509 layers. Each colorant layer 505, 507, 509 contains adifferent colorant composition of the bi-modal molecular elements thatcan be field switched between transparent and a desired different color(e.g. cyan, magenta or yellow). Preferably, a first array 501 oftransparent row electrodes 511, is formed (on a transparent substrate asdescribed above with respect to FIG. 4AA, row electrodes 407). A firstcolorant (e.g. yellow) 505 layer is coated over the row electrode array501. Again, this may be accomplished using standard thick filmtechniques, such as silkscreen or spin cast. A first array 502 of columnelectrodes 513, is deposited and etched over the first colorant 505layer. The second colorant (e.g. magenta) 507 layer is coated over thefirst column electrode array 502. A second array 503 of row electrodes511, is likewise formed over the second colorant 507 layer, followed bydeposition of the third colorant (e.g. cyan) 509 layer. This finalcolorant 509 layer is coated with a deposition on the backgroundsubstrate 403 (e.g. a white coating) layer, again composed of a polymercontaining a high dielectric, opaque white pigment (e.g. titania). Asecond array 504 of column electrodes 513 is then adhered to (orotherwise deposited on) the background substrate 403. Each of theelectrode arrays is extended on different sides outside of the imagearea for connection to their respective electrode drive electronics (seee.g. FIG. 1AA). Optionally, it may be advantageous to a specificimplementation if the electrodes are nearest, or bridging, the colorantlayer(s) so that the voltage requirements are optimized.

[0088] The color to be set for each pixel is addressed by applying avoltage across the electrodes directly adjacent to the selected colorlayer. In the example given, pixels in the yellow layer are addressedthrough row electrode array 501 and column electrode array 502, magentathrough column electrode array 502 and row electrode array 503, and cyanthrough row electrode array 503 and column electrode array 504. Thissimple common electrode addressing scheme is made possible because eachcolorant molecule is color stable in the absence of a field.

[0089]FIG. 6AA depicts a third implementation embodiment which employsscan-addressing rather than matrix-addressing. Matrix address displaysare limited in resolution by the number of address lines and spaces thatmay be patterned over the relatively large two-dimensional surface of adisplay, each line connecting a pixel row or column to the outer edge ofthe display area (see e.g., FIG. 1AA). In accordance with this thirdembodiment, the bi-modal molecular colorant 401 and background substrate403 layer construction is combined with a scanning electrode arrayprinthead to provide a scanning electrode display 600 apparatus havingthe same readability benefits as the first two embodiments. Scanningelectrode arrays and drive electronics are common to electrostaticprinters and their constructions and interfaces are well known.Exemplary scanning electrode arrays that can be employed in constructionof the present invention are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,814 (Brown) orU.S. Pat. No. 4,588,997 (Tuan et al.) incorporated herein by reference.Basically, remembering that the bistable molecular switch does notrequire a holding field, the scanning electrode array display 600apparatus changes a displayed image by imaging or writing a pixel row ata time. The scanning electrode array display 600 apparatus thus provideseven greater resolution than a fixed matrix-electrode array embodimentby virtue of the ability to alternate odd and even electrode addresslines along opposing sides of the array, to include multiple addresslayers with pass-through array connections and to stagger multiplearrays that proportionately superimpose during a scan. The colorantlayer 401 may again be patterned with a color mosaic to produce anexceptionally high resolution scanning color display.

[0090] More specifically, the third embodiment as shown in FIG. 6AAcomprises a display screen 602 (which may be substituted for screen 400in FIGS. 2AA and 3AA), a scanned electrode array 604, and arraytranslation mechanism 601 to accurately move the electrode array 604across the surface of the screen 602. The display screen 602 againcomprises a background layer 403, a transparent view-through 405 layer,and at least one bi-modal molecule colorant layer 401. The colorantlayer 401 may include a homogeneous monochrome colorant (e.g. black) orcolor mosaic, as described herein above. The scanned electrode array 604comprises a linear array or equivalent staggered array of electrodes incontact or near contact with the background layer 403. A staggered arrayof electrodes may be used, for example, to minimize field crosstalkbetween otherwise adjacent electrodes and to increase displayresolution.

[0091] Alternatively, one or both of the stated common electrodes may bemade an addressable electrode array to allow, for example, colorantswitching between parallel and perpendicular fringe fields. Positive andnegative fields may be produced without requiring drives to producepositive and negative voltages. This can be accomplished by holding thecommon electrode(s) at an intermediate voltage level and cycling thearray electrodes between a high and low voltage (e.g. ground). Thedisplay screen 602 is imaged by printing a column of pixels one row at atime as the electrode array(s) translates across the surface of thesubstrate 403. The image is viewed through the transparent view through405 layer, so the electrode array 604 is not visible to the observer.

[0092] A standard scanning mechanism 601 (e.g. linear motor, cabledrive, or the like) may be employed to move the electrode array acrossthe full surface of the display substrate. Preferably the scanningmechanism 601 should include an array scan position feedback transducerto allow correct placement of fields from the array relative to thepreferred pixel grid of the display. Such mechanisms include, forexample, a motor shaft encoder or surface translation sensor as taughtin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,089,712 and 5,825,044, assigned to the commonassignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.

[0093] It can now be recognized that a display in accordance with thepresent invention requires no backlighting as required in conventionalLCD displays, providing a device requiring a low supply powerrequirement. Lighting or backlighting becomes completely optional,depending on the specific implementation. Moreover, the power savings isgreatly improved by the preferred embodiment wherein the molecules arestructured to be substantially permanently bistable in the color ortransparent mode once set. In essence, this is a power-free standbymode. Further, it is well-known that LCD-type displays have a limitedviewing angle wherein moving off the axis diminishes viewability. Thepresent invention, being a colorant stratum 401 at the surface of thedisplay screen 400 (or behind the protective coating 405) has no suchlimitation, making it more CRT or HDTV like in appearance. Note further,the present invention is adaptable to implementations for digital videodisplays. Further, addressability may be resolved in the preferredembodiment wherein the pixels comprise bistable molecular switches bylogic bus sequencing of pulses via the electrode matrix to the targetpixels since, once set, no holding field is required, sweeping thedisplay screen at a rate greater than the human discriminatingcapability (persistence).

Alternative Embodiments & Methods of Operation and of Doing Business

[0094] The displays of the present invention are envisioned to findapplication over a wide variety of product devices. FIGS. 7AAillustrates a business use of the present invention and, FIGS. 8AA, 9AA,10AA, 11AA illustrate state of the art telecommunication appliancesadapted to employ the present invention. Included in this list of usesare thin, light weight and low power reading appliances. Flat paneldisplay devices having publishing quality resolution and readabilitywill provide fully electronic substitutes for standard newspapers,magazines, books, CD-readers, and the like. As shown in FIGS. 2AA and3AA, push-buttons, track-ball, stick mouse, or the like, manual controldevices 201 located along the periphery of these reading appliances canbe used to paginate and navigate between sections, articles anddocuments. Similar manual controls 201 and circuitry are provided toallow the user to input, store, sequence and display image data.Document data may be transferred via standard computer cable, IR oron-board memory sources such as CD and DVD disks 302 (FIG. 3AA only).

[0095] For compactness of device and user convenience it may beadvantageous to have a retractable screen.

[0096] As illustrated by FIG. 7AA, wireless transceiver communicationover the Internet (represented by cloud symbol 701) to, and documentretrieval from, document content service provider(s) 703 is facilitatedand greatly enhanced by the incorporation of the display technology inaccordance with the present invention. The commercial appeal of wirelesstransceiver communication will be increased as use of a display screenin accordance with the present invention removes the problems of theprior art as described in the Background section hereinbefore. Theability to find, select, obtain for a greatly reduced cost, and read ahard copy print quality display of any document on the internet,anywhere, anytime, on a fully portable appliance advances the state ofthe art significantly.

[0097] In general, the service “PROVIDER” 703 is an Internet or intranetaccessible, computer server 705, having a wireless transceiver (“SERVERXCVR”) interface 707. A client browser accessible WEB SITE 709 includesall of the communications programs for browsing, selecting, paying for,and downloading selected content, e.g., a copy of the latest issue ofthe HP Journal.

[0098] A generically represented telecommunication appliance 711 (seealso FIGS. 8AA-11AA) is provided with an on-board electronics package715 (exploded, magnified, and represented as “on-board” the appliance711 by dashed-arrow 713). Application specific integrated circuits(“ASIC”) may be employed in implementing functions and programmingassociated with the invention. Included in the appliance 711 is anadapted implementation of the display screen 700 in accordance with thepresent invention.

[0099] The appliance 711 electronics package 715 includes a transceiver,“CLIENT XCVR,” 717 adapted for communicating over the Internet 701 in aknown manner. A BROWSER program 719 is provided for interactivelycommunicating with the SERVER 705 web site 709. When the user of theappliance 711, the CLIENT, finds and purchases document content ofinterest, the content from the WEB SITE 709 is downloaded into theappliance memory 721 (it is known in the art to use data compression tolimit the needed memory capacity to a reasonable size). Automaticdownloads via subscription services for documents like daily newspapers(see FIG. 2AA) can be programmed. From memory, the CLIENT uses controls201 to transfer pages of the document to the screen display 700.

[0100] Alternatively, or in addition to the wireless transceiver 717interface, the telecommunications appliance 711 may include cable typeinterconnections for accessing the Internet 701.

[0101] In operation, as sent by the PROVIDER 703 from the WEB SITE 709,a first extracted page from the memory 721 transferred onto the display700 will initially show in progressive order a menu, or index, ofavailable document services, document categories, and document titles(and preferably an abstract of the content). The CLIENT can then use theBROWSER 719 as an interface. The CLIENT can place an order in real time,paying the invoiced amount—e.g., via a charge card or other creditinformation related data exchange with the PROVIDER 703, such as byhaving an account related to the appliance 711 serial number (analogousto a long distance telephone call)—and downloading the documentimmediately or at a later, convenient time. An attractive commercialimplementation is for the PROVIDER 703 to offer any CLIENT the abilityto obtain otherwise subscription documents such as newspapers,magazines, and the like, on a pay-per-view, non-subscription basis at alow cost as hard copy printing and mailing costs are eliminated. Inplacing an order, the display 700 is used to show ordering information,menus, lists, virtual shopping cart contents, and the like, provided bythe from the SERVER 705 over the internet 701.

[0102] Exemplary specific implementations of the display in accordancewith the present invention are shown in FIG. 8AA, a personal digitalassistant 800 (having a retractable display 801), FIG. 9AA, a digitalcamera 900 with a fixed display screen 901 (note further, because of thefast switching capability, the present invention is adaptable toimplementations for digital video displays), FIG. 10AA, a pen-sizeddevice 1000 (e.g., a personal dictating device with voice recognitioncapability, allowing the dictation to be displayed on a retractablescreen 1001), and FIG. 11A, a telephone 1100 (also illustrating aretractable screen 1101). These electronic appliances 800, 900, 1000,1100 are exemplary for the category and not intended as a limitation onthe scope of the invention. In operation, using for example thetelephone 1100, the end-user could place a call to a restaurant andreceive a menu display on the screen 801 from the restaurant's servertransceiver from which an order can be immediately placed for delivery,pick-up, or eat-in at a selected table reservation time. Anotherexemplary specific implementation would be to telephone a retailer andreceive a catalog display with immediate ordering capability. Note thatfor such “short” document uses, the memory 721 (FIG. 7AA only) may be aknown manner cache memory or buffer.

[0103] In general, any appliance which has a visual display can beadapted to incorporate the present invention. Such appliances include,but are not limited to computers, computing machines of both hard-wired,fixed location and portable types, calculators, electronic books,monitoring instruments (including hospital equipment), musicalinstruments or music stands, networked workstations, personal digitalassistants, telephones, televisions, test instruments, video games, orwired or wireless communication devices.

[0104] Known manner encryption technology can be employed whereappropriate. Note that the appliance should include a read-only featureto protect the content provider's and author's copyrights. A part of thetransmission protocol between the PROVIDER 7-3 and the appliance 711 mayinclude markers that command non-read-only devices such as the PDA ofFIG. 8AA to prevent a printout.

[0105] In general, known manner voice and image data packet protocolscan be employed in accordance with the state of the art.

[0106] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention has been presented for purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise form or to exemplary embodiments disclosed.Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent topractitioners skilled in this art. Similarly, any process stepsdescribed might be interchangeable with other steps in order to achievethe same result. The embodiment was chosen and described in order tobest explain the principles of the invention and its best mode practicalapplication, thereby to enable others skilled in the art to understandthe invention for various embodiments and with various modifications asare suited to the particular use or implementation contemplated. It isintended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claimsappended hereto and their equivalents. Reference to an element in thesingular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly sostated, but rather means “one or more.” Moreover, no element, component,nor method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated tothe public regardless of whether the element, component, or method stepis explicitly recited in the following claims. No claim element hereinis to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, sixthparagraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase“means for . . . ” and no process step herein is to be construed underthose provisions unless the step or steps are expressly recited usingthe phrase “comprising the step(s) of . . . .”

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronically addressable display comprising:a substrate; associated with the substrate, an addressable displaybi-modal molecular colorant stratum; and associated with the molecularcolorant stratum, an addressing device mounted for selectively switchingcolorant molecules of the stratum between at least two visuallydistinguishable states.
 2. The display as set forth in claim 1comprising: a first of said two distinguishable states is a transparentstate.
 3. The display as set forth in claim 2 comprising: a second ofsaid two distinguishable states is an opaque color state.
 4. The displayas set forth in claim 1, said bi-modal molecular colorant stratumcomprising: a molecular system, said system including electrochromic,switchable molecules, each of said molecules being selectivelyswitchable between said at least two optically distinguishable states,wherein said system is distributable on the substrate thereby forming adisplay screen region.
 5. The display as set forth in claim 1comprising: said colorant molecules exhibit an electric field inducedband gap change.
 6. The display as set forth in claim 5 comprising: saidelectric field induced band gap change occurs via a mechanism selectedfrom a group including (1) molecular conformation change or anisomerization, (2) change of extended conjugation via chemical bondingchange to change the band gap, and (3) molecular folding or stretching.7. The display as set forth in claim 5 comprising: said electric fieldinduced band gap change occurs via a molecular conformation change or anisomerization.
 8. The display as set forth in claim 7 wherein themolecules forming the molecular system further comprise: at least onestator portion and at least one rotor portion, wherein said rotorrotates from a first state to a second state with an applied electricfield, wherein in said first state, there is extended conjugationthroughout said molecular system, resulting in a relatively smaller bandgap, and wherein in said second state, said extended conjugation isdestroyed, resulting in a relatively larger band gap.
 9. The display asset forth in claim 7 comprising: dependent upon direction of electricalfield applied, in a first of said states said colorant molecules are ina more conjugated state throughout, having a relatively smaller bandgap, and in a second of said states said colorant molecules are in aless conjugated state throughout, having a relatively larger band gap.10. The display as set forth in claim 5 comprising: said electric fieldinduced band gap change occurs via a change of extended conjugation viachemical bonding change to change the band gap.
 11. The display as setforth in claim 10 comprising: said electric field induced band gapchange occurs via a change of extended conjugation via charge separationor recombination accompanied by increasing or decreasing bandlocalization.
 12. The display as set forth in claim 11 comprising: achange from a first state to a second state occurs with an appliedelectric field, said change involving charge separation in changing fromsaid first state to said second state, resulting in a relatively largerband gap state, with less π-delocalization, and recombination of chargein changing from said second state to said first state, resulting in arelatively smaller band gap state, with greater π-delocalization. 13.The display as set forth in claim 5 comprising: said electric fieldinduced band gap change occurs via a change of extended conjugation viacharge separation or recombination and π-bond breaking or formation. 14.The display as set forth in claim 13 comprising: a change from a firststate to a second state occurs with an applied electric field, saidchange involving charge separation in changing from said first state tosaid second state, wherein in said first state there is extendedconjugation throughout, resulting in a relatively larger band gap state,and wherein in said second state said extended conjugation is destroyedand separated positive and negative charges are created, resulting in arelatively smaller band gap state.
 15. The display as set forth in claim5 comprising: said electric field induced band gap change occurs via amolecular folding or stretching.
 16. The display as set forth in claim15 comprising: said colorant molecule has three portions, a firstportion and a third portion, each bonded to a second, central portion,wherein a change from a first state to a second state occurs with anapplied electric field, said change involving a folding or stretchingabout or of said second portion, wherein in said first state there isextended conjugation, resulting in a relatively smaller band gap state,and wherein in said second state, said extended conjugation isdestroyed, resulting in a relatively larger band gap.
 17. The display asset forth in claim 1 comprising: said colorant molecules are arranged toform discrete, addressable picture elements of said display stratum. 18.The display as set forth in claim 17 comprising: said addressing deviceis configured for switching selected said picture elements between atransparent state and a colored state.
 19. The display as set forth inclaim 17 comprising: said addressing device is configured for switchingselected said picture elements between two visually distinctive colorstates.
 20. The display as set forth in claim 1 comprising: saidcolorant molecules are bistable, providing a non-volatile component. 21.The display as set forth in claim 1 comprising: said colorant moleculeshave a low activation barrier between different said states providing afast volatile switching therebetween.
 22. The display as set forth inclaim 1 comprising: said colorant molecules have more than two saidstates, switchable such that optical properties of said stratum can betuned either continuously by application of a decreasing or increasingelectric field to form a volatile switch or color of selected displayregions are changed abruptly by application of voltage pulses to switchat least one molecular activation barrier.
 23. The display as set forthin claim 1 in a computer apparatus.
 24. The display as set forth inclaim 1 in an electronic appliance.
 25. The display as set forth inclaim 24 wherein said electronic appliance is an appliance in the groupincluding test and monitoring instruments, musical instruments,telecommunications devices, personal computing devices, digitalphotographic devices, or image projection devices.
 26. An electronicappliance comprising: an appliance housing; and incorporated with thehousing, a display device, the display device including at least onewriteable imaging stratum forming a pixel array of a bi-modal molecularcolorant, and an addressing device mounted for selectively switchingcolorant molecules of the imaging stratum.
 27. The device as set forthin claim 26 comprising: adjacent said imaging stratum, a backgroundstratum in black, white or a predetermined color, wherein saidaddressing device switches said colorant molecules between a transparentorientation and a color-exhibiting orientation such that said backgroundstratum provides high contrast as viewed through the colorant moleculesin the transparent orientation with respect to the colorant molecules inthe color-exhibiting orientation.
 28. The device as set forth in claim26 comprising: said imaging stratum further comprising colorantmolecules having a first state wherein a picture element formed of saidmolecules in said first state are displayed in a first color, includingblack or white, and said colorant molecules having a second statewherein a picture element formed of said molecules in said second stateare displayed in a second color, including white or black, presenting avisually high contrast to molecules in said first state.
 29. The deviceas set forth in claim 26 wherein said appliance is selected from a groupincluding computers, computing machines of both hard-wired, fixedlocation and portable types, calculators, electronic books, monitoringinstruments, musical instruments or music stands, networkedworkstations, personal digital assistants, telephones, televisions, testinstruments, video games, or wired or wireless communication devices.30. The device as set forth in claim 26 comprising: said display is afixed geometry position screen.
 31. The device as set forth in claim 26comprising: said display is a retractable geometry positionable screen.32. The display as set forth in claim 26 comprising: said colorantmolecules are arranged to form discrete, addressable picture elements ofsaid display stratum.
 33. The display as set forth in claim 26comprising: said colorant molecules are bistable, providing anon-volatile component.
 34. The display as set forth in claim 26comprising: said colorant molecules have a low activation barrierbetween different said states providing a fast volatile switchingtherebetween.
 35. The display as set forth in claim 26 comprising: saidcolorant molecules have more than two said states, switchable such thatoptical properties of said stratum can be tuned either continuously byapplication of a decreasing or increasing electric field to form avolatile switch or color of selected display regions are changedabruptly by application of voltage pulses to switch at least onemolecular activation barrier.
 36. A visual display comprising: at leastone writeable imaging stratum forming a pixel array of a bi-modalmolecular colorant; and at least one addressing device mounted forselectively switching colorant molecules of the imaging stratum.
 37. Thedevice as set forth in claim 36 comprising: adjacent said imagingstratum, a background stratum in black, white or a predetermined color,wherein said addressing device switches said colorant molecules betweena transparent orientation and a color-exhibiting orientation such thatsaid background stratum provides high contrast as viewed through theimaging stratum regions where the colorant molecules in the transparentorientation with respect to the colorant molecules in thecolor-exhibiting orientation.
 38. The device as set forth in claim 36comprising: said imaging stratum further comprising colorant moleculeshaving a first state wherein a picture element formed of said moleculesin said first state are displayed in a first color, including black orwhite, and said colorant molecules having a second state wherein apicture element formed of said molecules in said second state aredisplayed in a second color, including white or black, presenting avisually high contrast to molecules in said first state.
 39. The deviceas set forth in claim 36 comprising: said display is a fixed geometryposition screen.
 40. The device as set forth in claim 36 comprising:said display is a retractable geometry positionable screen.
 41. Thedisplay as set forth in claim 36 comprising: said colorant molecules arearranged to form discrete, addressable picture elements of said displaystratum.
 42. The display as set forth in claim 36 comprising: saidcolorant molecules are bistable, providing a non-volatile component. 43.The display as set forth in claim 36 comprising: said colorant moleculeshave a low activation barrier between different said states providing afast volatile switching therebetween.
 44. The display as set forth inclaim 36 comprising: said colorant molecules have more than two saidstates, switchable such that optical properties of said stratum can betuned either continuously by application of a decreasing or increasingelectric field to form a volatile switch or color of selected displayregions are changed abruptly by application of voltage pulses to switchat least one molecular activation barrier.
 45. The display as set forthin claim 36 comprising: a plurality of imaging strata forming a displayensemble wherein each of said imaging strata includes a pixel array of abi-modal molecular colorant such that colorant molecules thereof areselectively switchable between a transparent state and a primary colorstate, and associated with each of said imaging strata, addressingdevices mounted for selectively switching colorant molecules ofrespectively associated imaging stratum of said imaging strata.
 46. Thedisplay as set forth in claim 36 comprising: said imaging strata is amosaic pattern of colorant molecules arranged in addressable pictureelement groups.
 47. The display as set forth in claim 46 wherein saidmosaic pattern is formed with ink-jet technology.
 49. The display as setforth in claim 36, said addressing means comprising: molecular crossbarwiring.
 50. A method of fabricating a rewritable display screen, themethod comprising: depositing a substantially homogeneous layer ofbi-modal molecular colorant on a surface; and providing addressableelements adjacent said surface for matrix addressing said surface asaddressable picture elements.
 51. The method as set forth in claim 50comprising: forming the molecular colorant having electric fieldchangeable colorant molecules.
 52. The method as set forth in claim 51comprising: providing said colorant molecules wherein said molecules areat least bi-modal.
 53. The method as set forth in claim 51 comprising:providing said colorant molecules wherein said molecules are bistable.54. The method as set forth in claim 50 comprising: forming eachaddressable picture element of a set of molecules wherein said colorantmolecules exhibit an electric field induced band gap change.
 55. Themethod as set forth in claim 54 comprising: inducing said band gapchange via a mechanism selected from a group including (1) molecularconformation change or an isomerization, (2) change of extendedconjugation via chemical bonding change, and (3) molecular folding orstretching.
 56. A method of document retrieval using an internet, themethod comprising: from a telecommunications appliance, ordering thedocument over the internet; downloading the document from the internetinto the telecommunications appliance; and displaying the document on adisplay associated with the telecommunications appliance by forming animage of the document on a pixel array of a rewritable bi-modalmolecular colorant.
 57. A method of doing business with respect todocument publishing and retrieval, the method comprising: providing awireless communications site including a server for publishing documentcontent; and downloading from said site to a wireless telecommunicationsappliance document content data for read-only display by forming aselectable page-by-page pixel array on a bi-modal molecular colorantdisplay associated with said appliance.
 58. A wireless communicationsappliance, comprising: a wireless interface; a display screen having atleast one writeable imaging stratum forming a pixel array of a bi-modalmolecular colorant; and at least one addressing device mounted forselectively switching colorant molecules of the imaging stratum.
 59. Theappliance as set forth in claim 58, said bi-modal molecular colorantcomprising: a molecular system, said system including electrochromic,switchable molecules, each of said molecules being selectivelyswitchable between said at least two optically distinguishable states,wherein said system is distributable on the substrate thereby forming adisplay screen region.
 60. The display as set forth in claim 58comprising: said colorant molecules exhibit an electric field inducedband gap change.
 61. The display as set forth in claim 60 comprising:said electric field induced band gap change occurs via a mechanismselected from a group including (1) molecular conformation change or anisomerization, (2) change of extended conjugation via chemical bondingchange to change the band gap, and (3) molecular folding or stretching.62. A projection apparatus comprising: a display means for projecting animage, said display means having a transparent substrate and, associatedwith said substrate, at least one writeable imaging stratum forming apixel array of a bi-modal molecular system; and associated with saidimaging stratum, at least one addressing means for selectively switchingcolorant molecules of the imaging stratum forming an image forprojection.
 63. An electronically addressable display comprising: atranslucent substrate having a means for backlighting said substrateassociated therewith; associated with the substrate, an addressabledisplay bi-modal molecular colorant system; and associated with themolecular colorant system, an addressing means mounted for selectivelyswitching colorant molecules of the system between at least two visuallydistinguishable states wherein one of said states produces a color ofhigh contrast with respect to said translucent substrate and another oneof said states is transparent.